Hook or crotch for telephone-receivers



(No Model.)

J. H. HOWARD. HOOK 0R GRO'TGH FOR TELEPHONE RECEIVERS. No. 459,213.Patented Sept. 83 1891.

WITNESEEE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. I-IOIVARD, OF HEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

HOOK OR CROTCH FOR TELEPHONE-RECEIVERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,213, datedSeptember 8, 1891.

Application filed March 3, 1891. Serial No. 383,629. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES H. HOWARD, of Medford, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Hooks or Crotches for Telephone-Receivers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide an improved support for thereceiver of a telephone when the same is not in use; and it consists inthe improved hook adapted to break the circuit and prevent the currenttraveling through the receiver when the same is placed at rest, which Iwill now proceed to describe and'claini.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 represents a side View of my improved support, and Fig. 2 is asimilar view showing an additional contact.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in both thefigures.

I11 the drawings, a represents a hook or crotch of the usual form. \Vhenthe telephone-receiver b is not in use, it is placed upon the shelf 0,its upper end being introduced under the hook and forcing the sameslightly upward. The hook is pivoted at a to a fixed support d withinthe box, provided with a terminal 6 for the attachment of one of thecircuit-wires. The inner end of the hook is provided with thecross-piece a one end of which projects over a fixed contactpiece cl, towhich the other circuit-wire is suitably connected, the other end ofsaid crosspiece extending over the fixed bracket (1. A spring f isintroduced between the lower end of the cross-piece a and the bracket(I, said spring acting to hold theforward ends of the hook-arms a aintheir depressed position and to hold the outer end of the cross-piece ain contact with the piece (1, thus completing the circuit. When thereceiver 1) is not in use, its upper end is inserted under the arms a aof the hook, and the same are moved upwardly until the lower end of thereceiver rests upon the shelf 0, as shown in Fig. 1, thus moving theupper end of the cross-piece a awayfrom the contact-piece d and breakingthe circuit at that point. \Vhen the receiver is again removed from itsshelf 0, the spring f again presses the cross-bar a against thecontactpiece (1, thus completing the circuit. M shown in Fig. 2, asecond contact may be arranged behind the upper end of the lever or thecross-piece (L as at (1 to which may be connected a wire of a secondcircuit, which would be cut out when the receiver is removed.

I claim- In a telephonereceiver hook or crotch, the combination of themain arm a, having the cross-piece at, the bracket (1, to which saidmain arm a is pivoted, the contact-piece d, the springf, normallyholding the said crosspiece in electrical connection with said 0011-tact-piece d, and the shelf 0, upon which the receiver is supported whendisplacing the cross-piece a from contact with the contactpiece (1, asset forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this lit-h day of February, A. D.1891.

JAMES H. HO\VAR-D.

Vitnesses:

EWING W. IIAMLEN, C. F. BROWN.

